1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a guiding apparatus that maintains the attitude of suspended objects such as hangers conveyed by a hanger line to hang and convey, for example, car stabilizers.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-161616 discloses a work feeding apparatus and a work feeding method that feed works to a hanger line. This related art employs a robot having a hand for holding and three-dimensionally moving a work, a robot controller for controlling the robot, an image taking unit for photographing an image of a hanger conveyed through the hanger line, and a real-time computer for providing the robot controller with a track of the robot's hand.
According to the image of the hanger, the robot controller detects the position and attitude of a hook of the hanger, and according to the detection, feedback-controls the robot so that the robot's hand holding the work may follow the hook of the hanger and hang the work on the hook of the hanger.
The related art conveys a plurality of hangers through the hanger line and safely and surely hangs works on the hooks of the hangers without stopping the hanger line, without regard to the orientation of each hook, and without employing other special facilities. In feeding works to the hanger line, the related art is able to feed works to the hangers independent of manpower and improve the operating speed of the hanger line.
The related art, however, has a problem in steadying the attitude of a hanger suspended from the hanger line when the hanger receives a work on the hook thereof, and therefore, has a limit on correctly hanging a work on a hook of a hanger conveyed through a hanger line.
This problem widely exists in convey lines that convey suspended objects similar to the hangers and subject the objects to some operation that requires the attitude of each object to be stable.